CWC Meet highlights: India no longer a democracy, it has earned label of electoral autocracy, says Congress

In an apparent message to the G23, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi said she is a full-time, hands-on party president and there is no need for leaders to speak to her through the media. In her opening remarks at the CWC meeting, Gandhi asserted that every member of the party wants a revival of the Congress, but that requires unity and keeping the party's interests paramount. However, the biggest development was Rahul Gandhi saying that he would consider to become the party chief once again.

BJP mocks CWC as 'parivar bachao working committee', slams it for not reacting to Singhu killing

The BJP on Saturday mocked the Congress Working Committee meeting as "parivar bachao working committee" and alleged that it offered no answers to the issues of the party's internal rift and its leadership's failures, and instead indulged in spreading lies.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia also criticised the CWC for not reacting to the ghastly murder of a Dalit man at the Singhu border, one of the sites for the farmers' protests, and questioned if the opposition party stood with the "Talibani mindset" behind the killing. Anarchic elements are using farmers for their politics, he said.

(PTI)

Election of PCC presidents, vice presidents, treasurers, PCC executives & AICC members to be held between Jul 21-Aug 20, 2022: Cong

Enrolment of members for organisational polls from Nov 1-Mar 31; dist Cong committees to publish preliminary list of members by Mar 31: Cong

India no longer regarded as a democracy, it has earned the label of electoral autocracy: KC Venugopal

Parliament has been contemptuously disregarded. The judiciary has been debilitated by not filling vacancies in the courts and tribunals, he said.

(DHNS)

We're going for a massive training program from top to bottom. Workers & leaders at all levels will be trained in party ideologies, policies, expectations of a Congress worker, grassroots messaging, election mgmt, failure of present govt & countering propaganda: KC Venugopal

(DHNS)

CWC election date to be decided later, likely next October

3 resolutions passed at CWC meet: Congress

Discipline is important: Congress leader Raghu Sharma takes a dig at Kapil Sibal

If you hold press conference on your own and say outside the things that you should say before the leadership, will it strengthen the party? Discipline is important: Congress leader & Rajasthan Min Raghu Sharma on Kapil Sibal after CWC meet in Delhi

Rahul Gandhi to 'consider' becoming Congress chief again

After Congress leaders agreed to unanimously make Rahul Gandhi the party president again at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, the MP reportedly said that he "will consider" it.

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G-23 wasn't even mentioned at CWC meeting, claims Ambika Soni

They were present at the meeting. Congress isn't divided into factions, we're united. All leaders of Indian National Congress unanimously want Rahul Gandhi to become party president. The process (for election) will begin in Sept (2022): Ambika Soni

Everybody agreed unanimously, whether he (Rahul Gandhi) will become (the party president) or not is up to him. Everybody is of the opinion that Rahul Gandhi should become the party president: Senior Congress leader Ambika Soni after Congress Working Committee meeting, in Delhi

(ANI)

Congress Working Committee meeting concludes

CWC press briefing by KC Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala at 4:00 pm today

(DHNS)

Ashok Gehlot proposed in the CWC meet that Rahul Gandhi should lead Congress which was supported by all members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC): Sources

(ANI)

Elections for Congress president likely to be held in September 2022

(ANI)

I am full-time and hands-on Congress president: Sonia Gandhi at CWC meet

The Congress in its CWC meeting held on January 22 had decided it would have an elected president by June 2021. But it was deferred at the May 10 CWC meet because of the Covid-19 situation.

During the meeting, the party leadership is likely to decide the schedule to elect the new Congress chief.

Why the Congress Working Committee meeting has been convened

The meeting of the party's top decision-making body -- Congress Working Committee (CWC) -- has been convened after demands from some quarters to discuss important issues, including some defections in the recent past.The meeting also comes amid rumblings within the Congress' state units such as in Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan where the party is in power.

The G-23 leaders had been demanding to convene the CWC with Kapil Sibal last month and wondered who in the party was taking decisions in the absence of a full-time president. He has asserted that the G23 leaders' grouping is "not a Jee Huzur 23".

Senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma were among those present at the meeting at the AICC headquarters here.

Apart from the Gandhis, Gehlot, Bhagel and Channi are present at the meeting

Party president Sonia Gandhi, former chief Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress chief ministers Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan, Bhupesh Baghel of Chhattisgarh and Charanjit Channi of Punjab are present at the meeting.

Congress Working Committee meeting under way

Rahul Gandhi was elected president in 2017 and had resigned after the Lok Sabha poll debacle following which Sonia was chosen as interim president. The tenure of Congress party president is five years and if a leader is chosen now, the argument is that he or she will have only a year and in such a scenario, one could wait till then.

DH had on October 9 reportedthat a section in the party felt that only one year is left for the new party president and the party could wait. However, the other side led by change seekers or G-23 is of the view that there should be clarity and direction in the party's action and a definite decision on leadership should be taken.

CWC to discuss strategies for upcoming Assembly elections

The leadership is also said to have factored in the upcoming Assembly elections early next year before deciding on the schedule, as conducting polls would divide the party's attention at a time it is planning an improved show in five states - Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Uttar Pradesh. It is to be seen how the change seekers or G-23 leaders respond if a full-time president is not appointed and organisational elections are further delayed.

At key CWC meet today, membership drive to get a boost

Sources said the CWC will give final touches to the membership drive from booth level ahead of organisational elections and this exercise is likely to take 7-8 months, virtually ruling out an immediate replacement for Sonia Gandhi, who took over as interim party president after Rahul Gandhi had quit following the Lok Sabha debacle.

Good morning readers and welcome to oour live coverage of CWC meeting today. In the meeting, theCongress Working Committee (CWC)will finalise a time table for the organisational elections but immediate changes in leadership as demanded by a section is unlikely as the party is planning a mega membership drive that could take months.